Delaware
Delaware tornado delivered peak wind at 95 mph, damage in its 1-mile path. How big was it?
Cleanup begins in Milltown community following tornado
The Milltown community is cleaning up following a tornado that swept through the area on Thursday night. 8/9/24
It touched down just after 7 p.m. The whole of New Castle County, and Delaware, already braced for continued remnants of then-Tropical Storm Debby barreling up the East Coast on Thursday.
The EF1 tornado knotted into shape over Marshallton, atwist with peak winds estimated at 95 mph, according to the preliminary report released Saturday morning by the National Weather Service. After initially hitting just south of Acme, the cyclone dragged a path of damage northward for another 1.13 miles – breaking windows, downing fences and dropping trees in its wake.
The wind funnel reached a max width of about 150 yards on its trek, according to the weather service. No injuries were reported, and preliminary reports aided by spotters noted debris “lofted into the air.” Damage to buildings and homes was reported.
Its ultimate EF1 rating corresponds to “moderate” impact, per forecasters, whereas a maximum EF5 would have meant “incredible” damage for communities, or winds over 260 mph.
Thursday’s tornado was the first to touch down on state soil this year.
But Delaware has been no stranger to such whirlwinds. Most have been rated EF0 or EF1.
Hear from residents: They were in cars, homes and Acme. Residents describe Thursday tornado in Delaware
21-mile path? Looking back at tornadoes in Delaware
The First State has faced about 78 tornadoes since 1950, according to a Delaware Online/The News Journal database aggregating reporting data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Just two of those twisters have led to direct fatalities, per the database. A 78-year-old man was killed last year in his Greenwood home in Sussex County, and two people were killed near Hartly in Kent County in 1983. Property damage totals nearly $13.4 million across the state as of April. That figure does not include damages incurred in the past five years.
The year 2020 stands out with six tornadoes, tied with 1992 for the most in one year. All those formations came in the same four-day span that August.
That was when Tropical Storm Isaias brought high winds, heavy rain, several tornadoes and coastal flooding to the entire Mid-Atlantic – becoming the most impactful tropical cyclone to hit the region since Sandy in 2012, per the database.
One EF2 tornado alone, delivering “significant” damage, posted a path nearly 21 miles in length. It reached 500 feet at its max width, with peak winds at 115 mph.
That cyclone tore through New Castle County after 8 a.m., continuing nearly parallel to Routes 1 and 13 on the east sides of Townsend and Middletown. Trees were snapped. Roofs were damaged. Several garage doors were blown out; another garage was destroyed on Blackbird Landing Road. Homes in Middletown sustained damage, with ripped-out walls or tree impact.
A history of twisters: Tornadoes in Delaware since 1950
A stronger tornado came just last year.
It touched down in the evening near Bridgeville, on April 1, 2023, before killing the 78-year-old Greenwood man. The twister delivered severe damage on its 14-mile path, barreling with peak winds clocked at 98-mph wind gusts about 10 feet off the ground. Utility poles were snapped, siding and roofs ripped away, parked semi-trailers blown over a driveway, among much more damage reported in Sussex County.
Trump also started the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement Monday and ordered agency heads to review all regulations that restrict “consumer choice” of appliances. Experts have said Biden-era energy efficiency standards for appliances would be difficult for the new administration to reverse.
While Biden’s expanded tax credits for home electrification and energy efficiency under the Inflation Reduction Act have disproportionately benefited wealthy households, the home energy rebate programs are expected to help low- to moderate-income households afford home improvements that will reduce their energy bills. In Philadelphia, Black, Hispanic and low-income residents spend more of their income on energy costs than households overall.
“These rebates are really important because they help working families in the United States access dollars that help lower the cost of these better, more efficient machines that are going to save them money on their energy bills,” said Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America, a national nonprofit that promotes electrification and related government rebates and tax credits.
States design their rebate programs within guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy under the Biden Administration, which require some of the money be reserved for families under certain income thresholds.
Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey all plan to launch their rebate programs this year, with Pennsylvania aiming for rollout of some rebates in “early 2025.”
The three states plan to offer all types of rebates available under the federal program, including rebates for appliances, home electrification infrastructure and energy-saving home retrofits. Pennsylvania plans to restrict the energy-saving home retrofit rebates to multifamily housing.
Income eligibility requirements for some of the rebates will vary by state, but all three states plan to restrict appliance rebates to households earning no more than 150% of area median income.
It’s crucial that the rebates reach low-income neighborhoods with high rates of energy poverty, said Pamela Darville, a volunteer with POWER Interfaith who helps lead the organization’s climate justice and jobs team. She wants to see Pennsylvania do extensive outreach about the programs in these communities, make the application user-friendly and available in multiple languages, partner with community-based organizations to find eligible applicants, offer long-term maintenance assistance and ensure the rebates reduce costs up front, so there’s no need for families to wait to be reimbursed.
“Those are just some of the things that we think will lay the foundation for equitable rollout by the state,” Darville said. “We all want energy-efficient appliances, but some of us just can’t afford it.”
WILMINGTON – Today, in his first executive action as Governor of Delaware, Governor Matt Meyer signed Executive Order #1, ordering state agencies to prioritize the development of youth apprenticeship programs across the state.
Led by the Delaware Department of Education, Executive Order #1 establishes a statewide working group consisting of at least 15 members from across labor, educational, and nongovernmental sectors, with the ultimate goal of developing proposed processes and policies to expand youth apprenticeships and workforce development across the state.
“If we’re serious about educating our kids, then we need to be serious about the opportunities we want them to have,” said Governor Meyer. “Workforce development programs for youth are integral to growing Delaware’s economy in a way that all families can prosper. This executive order aims to improve access to apprenticeships so we can better prioritize the needs of working families, invest in our children’s futures, and ensure we’re building an efficient and sustainable 21st-century economy.”
Read the Full Executive Order Here.
Governor Meyer is committed to using the full power of his office to bring meaningful change to Delaware. The order will implement immediate, actionable measures that aim to reform how we prepare our kids for the jobs of tomorrow. By bringing stakeholders from across Delaware to the table, Governor Meyer is laying the foundation for a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous Delaware for generations to come.
For any questions or to schedule a one-on-one interview with Governor-elect Meyer, please contact Mila Myles at mila.myles@delaware.gov.
About Delaware Governor Matt Meyer
Governor Matt Meyer is a former public school math teacher and small business owner who served as New Castle County Executive from 2017 through January 2025. As the leader of Delaware’s largest local government, Matt proved that government can still work for the people– delivering real results for real people and making real progress for Delaware’s working families. Governor Meyer aims to bring that same result-driven leadership to the state by creating an effective government that reflects our values and priorities.
From Wilmington to Kenya and Iraq: Growing up in Delaware, Matt attended schools in the Brandywine School District, followed by Wilmington Friends School, and then studied Computer Science & Political Science at Brown University. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he learned Swahili and created Ecosandals, a recycled footwear company that sold environmentally friendly footwear to customers in 17 countries on five continents. Matt subsequently spent 12 months in Mosul, Iraq, as a diplomat embedded with the United States Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
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Related Topics: executive order, Governor Matt Meyer
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
WILMINGTON – Today, in his first executive action as Governor of Delaware, Governor Matt Meyer signed Executive Order #1, ordering state agencies to prioritize the development of youth apprenticeship programs across the state.
Led by the Delaware Department of Education, Executive Order #1 establishes a statewide working group consisting of at least 15 members from across labor, educational, and nongovernmental sectors, with the ultimate goal of developing proposed processes and policies to expand youth apprenticeships and workforce development across the state.
“If we’re serious about educating our kids, then we need to be serious about the opportunities we want them to have,” said Governor Meyer. “Workforce development programs for youth are integral to growing Delaware’s economy in a way that all families can prosper. This executive order aims to improve access to apprenticeships so we can better prioritize the needs of working families, invest in our children’s futures, and ensure we’re building an efficient and sustainable 21st-century economy.”
Read the Full Executive Order Here.
Governor Meyer is committed to using the full power of his office to bring meaningful change to Delaware. The order will implement immediate, actionable measures that aim to reform how we prepare our kids for the jobs of tomorrow. By bringing stakeholders from across Delaware to the table, Governor Meyer is laying the foundation for a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous Delaware for generations to come.
For any questions or to schedule a one-on-one interview with Governor-elect Meyer, please contact Mila Myles at mila.myles@delaware.gov.
About Delaware Governor Matt Meyer
Governor Matt Meyer is a former public school math teacher and small business owner who served as New Castle County Executive from 2017 through January 2025. As the leader of Delaware’s largest local government, Matt proved that government can still work for the people– delivering real results for real people and making real progress for Delaware’s working families. Governor Meyer aims to bring that same result-driven leadership to the state by creating an effective government that reflects our values and priorities.
From Wilmington to Kenya and Iraq: Growing up in Delaware, Matt attended schools in the Brandywine School District, followed by Wilmington Friends School, and then studied Computer Science & Political Science at Brown University. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he learned Swahili and created Ecosandals, a recycled footwear company that sold environmentally friendly footwear to customers in 17 countries on five continents. Matt subsequently spent 12 months in Mosul, Iraq, as a diplomat embedded with the United States Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
###
Related Topics: executive order, Governor Matt Meyer
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
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This story was supported by a statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Delaware is set to welcome its 76th governor Tuesday. Democrat Matt Meyer is being sworn in at Delaware State University in Dover. State Sen. Kyle Evans Gay will become his lieutenant governor.
The ceremony was moved indoors amid dangerously cold temperatures.
Meyer was New Castle County executive from 2017 to 2025. He won the September Democratic primary for governor against Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and former state environmental chief Collin O’Mara, then beat former Republican House Minority Leader Mike Ramone in last year’s general election. Gay came out ahead of former Republican state Rep. Ruth Briggs King in November.
Hall-Long, the state’s lieutenant governor for the past eight years, assumed the position as Delaware’s top executive for a two-week stint after former Gov. John Carney resigned early to become the mayor of Wilmington on Jan. 7. Both were term-limited in their previous roles.
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